M Ship Co., Llc.

Mangia Onda Co., LLC

Cbtf Co.

Dyna-yacht, Inc.

William F Burns, Iii

Charles W Robinson

Matthew B Brown

Alberto Alvarez Calderon

A powerboat with a rooster tail depressor (RTD) includes a hull, a propulsion subassembly on the hull, and a rooster-tail-suppressing canopy on the stern that includes a downwardly facing surface no less than six inches above the dynamic water line of the stern where it functions to suppress the powerboat rooster tail for radar signature reduction and increased propulsion efficiency. Various embodiments include one or more of (i) a canopy having a downwardly facing surface that is arched (either curved or faceted), (ii) lift-to-drag ratio enhancing steps in the downwardly facing surface of the canopy, (iii) a rooster-tail-suppressing subassembly configured to enable articulation of the canopy in yaw and in trim, and (iv) operator-controlled port and starboard venting arrangements on the canopy that result in desired laterally directed thrust for enhanced maneuverability.

Powerboat rooster tail depressor

A model hull testing method, platform, and system are disclosed that acquire model hull performance data about one or more hulls in an open-water environment, preferably testing two hulls simultaneously as they encounter essentially the same sea state. Avoiding tow-tank testing by providing a powered watercraft as an open-water testing platform, the method proceeds by supporting the model hulls on the testing platform, so they float in outboard positions, and then by acquiring data about hull performance as the testing platform and model hulls move together through an open body of water. A complement of data acquisition components acquires digital and analog data about the testing environment and model hull performance, preferably including platform motion, time and location information, wave characteristics, apparent wind speed and direction, and model hull drag and motion, with all data being recorded on an onboard laptop computer for later processing and analysis. A trimaran powered watercraft configuration and preferred data-acquisition components and techniques are also disclosed.

Model hull testing method, platform, and system

M-shaped boat hull

A canting ballast twin foil (CBTF) sailing yacht constructed according to the invention includes a sailing hull, a laterally moveable ballast suspended beneath the hull that provides a counter heeling force when the yacht is underway, and fore and aft foils that provide improved leeway control and ballast. Components are included for at least partially retracting into the hull at least one of the ballast-supporting strut, the fore foil, and the aft foil.

CBTF sailing yacht appendage retraction system

A watercraft with at least one onboard propulsion engine includes at least two hulls and a wing-like deck structure spanning the two hulls (a floating wing). Port and starboard skirts combine with the deck structure to form port and starboard planing channels. The deck structure includes an upwardly facing surface that slopes downwardly toward an aft end of the deck structure in order to provide aerodynamic lift. Preferably, a speed-responsive exhaust proportioning system vents exhaust at vertical steps in planing surfaces on the hulls to reduce drag, increase lift, and reduce thermal signature. One embodiment includes hinged laterally extending deck extensions that an operator can raise to reduce vessel breadth during docking, upwardly extending barriers on the deck extensions that reduce the escape of wind laterally, and hinged flap structures disposed rearwardly that enable an operator to adjust vessel trim.

Super high speed multi-hull watercraft

A watercraft with a propulsion engine includes at least one hull having an underside. A dual exhaust system includes a first exhaust conduit defining a first exhaust flow path leading to the underside (e.g., a step in a planing surface on the underside) and a second exhaust conduit defining a second exhaust flow path to atmosphere. One embodiment is self proportioning. In another embodiment, an onboard proportioning system varies first and second proportions of the exhaust flowing through respective ones of the first and second exhaust conduits according to exhaust back pressure. First and second valve mechanisms selectively restrict the first and second exhaust flow paths under computer or manual control according to pressure sensed by a back-pressure-sensing component in order to thereby direct the exhaust in desired proportions for enhanced operating characteristics and reduced thermal signature.

Powered watercraft

A canting ballast twin foil (CBTF) sailing yacht constructed according to the invention includes a sailing hull, a ballast, a ballast-supporting structure, and an onboard ballast drive system. The ballast drive system moves the ballast in order to vary the counter-heeling force it produces underway. Twin foils that depend downwardly from the hull in positions fore and aft of the ballast provide leeway and steering control. An onboard main engine drive system provides power, either directly by suitable mechanical coupling or indirectly through charging of the battery/electric system, for one or more of a canting system, a leeway, and/or steering control system. The onboard main engine drive system may also power a yacht-propelling propeller.

CBTF sailing yacht main engine drive system

A watercraft includes at least one hull having at least one planing surface, at least one vertical step in the planing surface, and an onboard propulsion engine. An exhaust-venting system is provided for venting exhaust from the onboard propulsion engine at the vertical step in the planing surface while under way in order to introduce gas along the planing surface. The hull of one embodiment takes the form of an M-shaped boat hull. The invention also applies to any of various other watercraft hulls, including watercraft with multiple hulls such that each of the multiple hulls includes one or more planing surfaces with one or more vertical steps at which exhaust is vented.

A watercraft constructed according to the invention includes at least one hull according to the invention described in the grandparent and great-grandparent patent applications that issued as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,314,903 and 6,250,245, which hull includes first and second channel defining structures connected to the hull that define a first channel on a port side of the hull with a forwardly facing first channel entrance and a second channel on a starboard side of the hull with a second forwardly facing channel entrance. According to one aspect of the invention, the hull has a bow that extends to a vertical knife edge, and the first and second wing channel entrances are arranged to form a near horizontal knife edge at the deck level in order to enhance high speed operations. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an onboard air system for injecting air into the first and second channels in order to enhance high speed operation of the watercraft. The air system may include a blower powered by an on-deck auxiliary power unit, a blower powered by a main drive diesel or gas turbine, components that divert excess air from a main drive gas turbine, or components that divert exhaust from a jet engine main drive.

High speed M-shaped boat hull

The present invention relates to a watercraft having a wave suppressing &ldquo;M-shaped&rdquo; hull design. The hull comprises a central displacement body flanked by two downwardly extending outer skirts. The outer skirts are attached to the displacement body by planing wings having wing channels. The bow wave is directed into the wing channels, thereby increasing planing efficiency and reducing the effect of such waves on other boats and the shoreline. One embodiment takes the form of a twin-hull catamaran with two M-shaped hulls and four arcuate channels for containing the spiraling bow waves from the two central displacement bodies, thus to increase lateral stability and to suppress boat waves to protect nearby boats and structures at the water/land interface.

The present invention relate to a watercraft having a wave suppressing &ldquo;M-shaped&rdquo; hull design. The hull comprises a central displacement body flanked by two downwardly extending outer skirts. The outer skirts are attached to the displacement body by planing wings having wing channels. The bow wave is directed into the wing channels, thereby increasing planing efficiency and reducing the effect of such waves on other boats and the shoreline.

High performance sailing yacht designs are disclosed based on a keelless sailing yacht concept having dynamic gravitational ballast which is laterally movable for heeling resistance which ballast replaces a function of the standard keel. A keelless yacht of this type is disclosed with an adjustable flap mounted on an elongated strut from which the ballast is suspended below the hull to generate a variable heel hydrodynamic control force independently of the counter-heeling effect achieved by the ballast. The foregoing features enhance the effects of disclosed improvements and modifications to hull design in having a duplex form, with upper and lower hull shapes, the lower of low drag shape, and of reduced section, while the upper hull extends laterally abeam from the lower hull to define reserve buoyancy, added accomodation, and surfaces adapted for hydroplaning when the yacht is at a controlled angle of heel.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

William F Burns, Iii